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Cockroaches are everywhere and are frequently found in dark, damp, and warm locations such as storehouses, drainpipes, or kitchens, among other places. This article will go through the nervous system of cockroaches with function. The neurological system aids cockroach survivability by rapidly triggering the moving response in motor centres of the 3 thoracic ganglia.
The nervous system of a cockroach is divided into three sections. These three are mainly: the central nervous system, the peripheral nervous system, and the sympathetic or visceral nervous system. The central nervous system of cockroaches is distinguished by its segmented structure and decentralised control systems. The ventral nerve cord comprises coupled interganglionic connectives that bind the thoracic, brain, and abdomen ganglia.
The Central Nervous System
The cockroach’s central nervous system has three parts: the brain or supra-oesophageal ganglion, the nerve cord, and the sub-oesophageal ganglion. The supra-oesophageal ganglion is generally a bilobed structure located in the head at the oesophagus’ front, practically between the antennae bases and over the tentorium. It is made up of three sets of ganglia that are fused together. It depicts the brain; it is also involved in sensory features. Also, it gives birth to two circumesophageal connectives that ring the oesophagus and the sub-oesophageal ganglion under it.
The sub-oesophageal ganglion of the nervous system of cockroaches is also located in the brain and is generated by the blend of three pairs of ganglia. Therefore, the nerve ring around the oesophagus inside the head capsule comprises the supra-oesophageal ganglion, sub-oesophageal ganglion, and circumesophageal connectives. The main motor centre is the sub-oesophageal ganglion, which regulates the motions of muscles, wings, mouthparts, and legs.
A twin nerve cord emerges from the sub-oesophageal ganglion and passes through the abdomen and the thorax on the ventral side underneath the alimentary canal and then to their body’s posterior end. The nerve cord present inside the thorax contains three big ganglia, one for each of the meso-, pro-, and metathoracic sections. They are referred to as mesothoracic, prothoracic, and metathoracic ganglia.
The Peripheral Nervous System
The peripheral nervous system of cockroaches features nerves that originate from the ventral nerve cord and nerve ring and innervate several parts of the cockroach’s body. The supra-oesophageal ganglion has three sets of nerves: the antennary, optic, and labral frontal nerves. From these three pairs, the first two pairs directly stimulate the antennae and eyes, while the third separate into the labral nerve. It supplies the labrum and the frontal nerve that extends forth to connect with the sympathetic nervous system.
Likewise, the sub-oesophageal ganglion leads to three nerve pairs: maxillary, mandibular, and labial, which innervate the maxillae, mandibles, and labium accordingly. Every thoracic ganglion has many nerve pairs that supply distinct sections of their respective segment.
However, the 1st abdominal segment is innervated by a pair of neurons from the metathoracic ganglion. The second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth abdominal segments are innervated by neurons from the first 5 abdominal ganglia. Finally, three sets of nerves branch off from the final abdominal ganglion to feed the 7th, 8th, and 9th segments. It also provides a branch for the innervation of the circus and other related regions.
The Sympathetic Nervous System/ Visceral Nervous System
The cockroach’s autonomic, sympathetic, stomatogastric, or visceral nervous system comprises ganglia and associated connectives. These functions of the cockroach nervous system include a frontal ganglion located on the oesophagus’ dorsal side in the head. The occipital ganglion has three nerves, including one median and two laterals. The lateral nerves are related to the endocrine glands, such as corpora allata and corpora cardiaca, whereas the median nerve goes backwards along the oesophagus.
A median unattached recurrent nerve runs from the ganglion to the visceral ganglion located on the crop. The visceral ganglion sends out several nerve branches. Nerves connecting the circumesophageal commissures link the frontal ganglia to the central nervous system.
A Briefing on the Sense Organs of Cockroaches
The following types of receptor cells can be found on the overall body surface:
- Proprioceptors: These are responsible for handling the listening and receiving of sound vibrations. Anal cerci and antenna both have auditory receptors.
- Thigmoreceptors: This receptor handles the touch functions of the nervous system of cockroaches. The body, maxillary palps, antenna, and legs all have thigmoreceptors.
- Olfactory Receptors: This receptor obtains a lot of odours. The palps and antenna both have olfactory receptors.
- Gustatory Receptors: These are mainly responsible for the perception of taste. On the labial palps and maxilla, there are gustatory receptors. Although cockroaches have appositional vision (despite being nocturnal) and mosaic, when the pigmented iris coating of the complex eye of cockroaches is eliminated, only a superposition image is produced.
Conclusion
This article includes all the details about the nervous system of cockroaches with function. The cockroach’s nervous system is composed of a series of fused, segmentally organised ganglia connected by paired longitudinal connectives on the ventral side. The segmented form of the cockroach CNS and the decentralisation of control systems are its most distinguishing features. The ventral nerve cord comprises paired interganglionic connectives that link the thoracic, brain, and abdominal ganglia.
